elemental wrote:Well there are always risks with any investment. Just my opinion, but I don't feel any pity for people who hoard FSS resins purely with the intention of reselling them later at a profit.

Wow. how many years has it been? SSS, not being made? I never thought they will return. I have paid really high prices for a number of old kits in the past. Among all, SSS has 2 original horned mirages($2??@), one cross mirage female, not so crazy on the male version as AF is way better. and then a bunch of AF kits... Oh, well, thinking back, it may seem a bad investment but I do not think I can buy that happiness of finally getting a kit that I really want so bad. Even now, I still get that "can you believe I will finally own this" feeling? well, I guess, for everything else, there is master card. I think it was 94 when I saw the SSS kits and the 1/35 water dragon pro-finish displayed. I just drooled and stunted...

I am definitely diving in for the terror. Have never came across one available and affordable.
I am guessing, even the cross mirages will be re-release. But only after the Calvary R, so they do not affect its sales. when that happen, I will have my second cross mirage. and that will be the victim of ashura. yeah.

And about re-releasing others?
AF: Probably not those ones that has corresponding kit in MM. eg, black knight, led mirage, kog, bibros, sirens, real face, etc.
The cross, led, atoll, ashura, these very best kits even in today's level, will never be made again due to the sculptor's conflict.
may be Junchoon late type. This kit was released a few times. I think it may be used to choke wsc. The boowray also got a few limited batches for conventions. Berlin did get a little re-release.
zakker, maglow, cross mirage female did not get release.

So looks like chances for getting those rare Ilkushima's AF is still impossible. THe other good ones, I have already got enough. except the berlin combat type, I will like to get one.

happy hopping wrote:Ditto on that one. Wait till Volks re-issue Twin Tower if the re-issue of SSS is a sell.

Interesting. I wonder the possibility because people said that the factorys will lose money on the Twin tower when the news of making first came out. Considering they spend a year doing it, with 4 to 10 people. Will that be true? Can someone cast some lights regarding that?

and for that, when it does get remade, will the price still be the same? Volks has been very nice not to hike the price on old kits despite inflation. and besides, people are getting more used to 40,000yen a kit now. Twin tower's size, parts and complexicity are way above 4 of those kits.

Henry wrote: Wow. how many years has it been? SSS, not being made? I never thought they will return.

It's great news, isn't it? For whatever reasons, I really love SSS kits, despite the great quality of kits from WSC, and more recent things from Volks. So the opportunity to get some SSS originals that I don't already have is quite a happy thing. Many of the SSS kits I want still cost a lot on Yahoo!Japan auctions, so it's great news that Volks will be selling them at original prices. The only question now is, how will I get a hold of them? Hopefully HLJ would stock some later on...

I am definitely diving in for the terror. Have never came across one available and affordable.

I think I would have to get one as well. Maybe. Even though I am in the middle of working on my recast SSS terror right now, so I am a little annoyed. I have put too much work into this recast to just quit now. But as I have told some people, my recast is missing a part. So I may want to get an original, so that I can take that part and get it recast. So that my in-progress recast can be finished properly. As for some others though, my recasts are not yet started. Such as Horned, Blood Temple, Vai O La, Schpeltor... so I will be happy to go for originals.

I am guessing, even the cross mirages will be re-release. But only after the Calvary R, so they do not affect its sales. when that happen, I will have my second cross mirage. and that will be the victim of ashura. yeah.

What do you think about SSS junchoon ODK? Think there's a chance it will get re-issued? This is one of the few SSS that I have no copy of at all.

And about re-releasing others?
AF: Probably not those ones that has corresponding kit in MM. eg, black knight, led mirage, kog, bibros, sirens, real face, etc.
The cross, led, atoll, ashura, these very best kits even in today's level, will never be made again due to the sculptor's conflict.
may be Junchoon late type. This kit was released a few times. I think it may be used to choke wsc. The boowray also got a few limited batches for conventions. Berlin did get a little re-release.
zakker, maglow, cross mirage female did not get release.

It would be interesting to see a few AF items get re-issued. Certainly wouldn't mind a chance to get some more Boowrays.

Henry wrote::not so crazy on the male version as AF is way better. and then a bunch of AF kits...

Ah, this is a bit surprising... you like AF male cross more than SSS male cross? What makes you like the AF more, if I may ask?

I have copies of both, but was never too impressed with AF, mostly because of the pose, and because of the plain detailing on the back side of the AF torso. SSS seemed to have nicer detail, especially around the neck/shoulder area, and at the back of the torso.

I get the original on both kits, mostly the attraction focal point of the kit: the shield veil is done so much better. thinner, sharper blade and mesh wires are made out of metal parts. Not sure how the recast on the veil is, sometimes, they thicken stuff.
Happy Hopping has the original HJ that features this kit. And when he saw it, he, surprisingly, picked out that kit is exceptionally pretty immediately. Ikushima's led was good at that point, but standing side by side with the cross, the cross stands out and is so much more fiece.

indeed, over the SSS version, they did put a few more details here and there. Wasn't huge difference as I remember, should look at it again. I remember it was something that i can add if i want to. so it was the overall shape of the kit wins.

KOG wrote:Many of the SSS kits I want still cost a lot on Yahoo!Japan auctions, so it's great news that Volks will be selling them at original prices. The only question now is, how will I get a hold of them? Hopefully HLJ would stock some later on...

Yeah. I just realize how rare this was. Last time the sss was re-release, it was around the ending scene set, which is the first few MM. So it is not exactly much of a re-release. Just like there are some re-release of Machine mess auge today? Last time, they made it because it was fss 10 years anniversary.
I wonder what is the reason today. They know those kits prices are at the ceiling or something? Oh, in some way, it seems that FSS is doing a "regeneration". It's time to draw in new fans. The characters are all younger in the story. Plus so many new explainatory books coming out in a cheaper format. That may be the reason. Model world also needs new blood.

I have put too much work into this recast to just quit now. But as I have told some people, my recast is missing a part.

I have this kit, but recast only. I can lend you that piece.

What do you think about SSS junchoon ODK? Think there's a chance it will get re-issued? This is one of the few SSS that I have no copy of at all.

Do you want me to look out this kit for you when i am there?

It would be interesting to see a few AF items get re-issued. Certainly wouldn't mind a chance to get some more Boowrays.

I like this kit more and more, i guess it is because the style is really lost today. both in design and the model making itself. which makes it very unique.

Ah, metal parts for AF? That does sound good. Unfortunately, I just have recast of both. So I won't get the benefit of the metal parts.

Now that you mention it, I do agree that the cutting blade on the SSS seems a bit thick. I suppose I should have sanded down the edge of the blade to make it sharper when I built my kit, but I guess I am afraid to try such a thing in case I go too far.

The thing that really strikes me about SSS is the pose. I really like it for some reason. It is very natural, very 'alive'. It is not stiff and mechanical looking. In contrast, AF seems very much 'like a robot'. Hard to explain. I suppose you can alter the pose of the AF? Don't have to build it in the pose shown in all the magazines?

The other thing that strikes me about SSS is the neck shoulder area. SSS has the 'neck fibers' that are now commonly seen in most good MH kits. I don't think AF has this? And I think SSS shows a hint of the mechanical spinal column at the back of the neck too? I really like this sort of detail, even though it's tough to see after the kit is completed. I think the neck area of AF was pretty simple...

And then, like I mentioned, there's the detail at the back of the torso. AF is very plain, almost flat? Just a few vents or something. This is the problem that Ikushima had... no imagination for areas not clearly seen in artwork. Back of AF cross reminds me of back of berlin or junchoon. On the other hand, back of SSS has more organic shapes, more complex forms. Seems to borrow some styling from LED Mirage, which feels good to me.

Anyways, when you get a chance, compare the neck/torso of AF and SSS, and tell me what you think.

Henry wrote:I get the original on both kits, mostly the attraction focal point of the kit: the shield veil is done so much better. thinner, sharper blade and mesh wires are made out of metal parts. Not sure how the recast on the veil is, sometimes, they thicken stuff.
Happy Hopping has the original HJ that features this kit. And when he saw it, he, surprisingly, picked out that kit is exceptionally pretty immediately. Ikushima's led was good at that point, but standing side by side with the cross, the cross stands out and is so much more fiece.

indeed, over the SSS version, they did put a few more details here and there. Wasn't huge difference as I remember, should look at it again. I remember it was something that i can add if i want to. so it was the overall shape of the kit wins.

Yeah. I just realize how rare this was. Last time the sss was re-release, it was around the ending scene set, which is the first few MM. So it is not exactly much of a re-release. Just like there are some re-release of Machine mess auge today? Last time, they made it because it was fss 10 years anniversary.
I wonder what is the reason today. They know those kits prices are at the ceiling or something? Oh, in some way, it seems that FSS is doing a "regeneration". It's time to draw in new fans. The characters are all younger in the story. Plus so many new explainatory books coming out in a cheaper format. That may be the reason. Model world also needs new blood.

I was thinking about it. Perhaps they are using all these re-issues as an easy way to build up some profit? So that they can turn around and put some of this money into production of new MH kits at last? As we know, it's been a while since their last 'new' kit. So maybe they had expended their resources on other projects... or perhaps it is true that demand for SSS is high? It's interesting to see them re-issue SSS schpeltor, auge, terror... even though there are more recent MM versions. I guess MM just really isn't very popular at all?

I have this kit, but recast only. I can lend you that piece.

I would really appreciate that Henry. I had been considering trying to scratchbuild that piece myself, but I am afraid I would do a rotten job of it. If I could get a copy made of your piece, that would be a much better option. I'll send you a scan of the manual, with the piece in question marked.

What do you think about SSS junchoon ODK? Think there's a chance it will get re-issued? This is one of the few SSS that I have no copy of at all.

Do you want me to look out this kit for you when i am there?

Perhaps. I have to be careful with spending right now, since I know Volks has luminous and other re-issues on the way, and WSC still has the gastness and berlin coming... I'll e-mail you about it.

It would be interesting to see a few AF items get re-issued. Certainly wouldn't mind a chance to get some more Boowrays.

I like this kit more and more, i guess it is because the style is really lost today. both in design and the model making itself. which makes it very unique.

It's definitely unique. I am not a huge fan of actual sculpt... it does feel dated to me. In terms of detail. But the overall shape is fantastic, and the Volks AF is SO much better than the Kaiyodo version. I have always been a fan of heavy designs, and they are a little rare these days. The thing I really won't miss is that awful blue resin they used back in the old days... it would be so much nicer to get a Boowray cast in the new tan resin.